First Aid & Emergencies

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Exercising and staying active help you keep your bone strength. Weight-bearing exercises such as walking, jogging, and light weight training help to minimize bone loss. Talk to your doctor about an exercise program that is right for you. Begin slowly, especially if you have been inactive. One study showed that moderate physical activity, such as walking, was linked to a substantially lowered number of hip fractures in postmenopausal women.⁷

Don't drink more than 2 alcoholic drinks a day if you are a man, or 1 alcoholic drink a day if you are a woman. Drinking more than this puts you at higher risk for osteoporosis. Alcohol use also raises your risk of falling and breaking a bone. See pictures of standard alcoholic drinks .

Don't smoke. Smoking puts you at a higher risk for osteoporosis and increases the rate of bone thinning after it starts.

Talk to your doctor about taking hormone replacement therapy or other medicines if you are at risk for osteoporosis. Some doctors recommend hormone therapy for osteoporosis, although its risks and benefits should be considered. Other medicines such as bisphosphonates, including alendronate (Fosamax) and zoledronic acid (Reclast); raloxifene (Evista); and calcitonin (Calcimar or Miacalcin) are also used to prevent or treat osteoporosis. Studies show that the bisphosphonates, in particular, significantly reduced the risk of hip fracture in older women who have osteoporosis.⁸ For more information, see the topic Osteoporosis.

For more information, see the topics Fitnessand Healthy Eating.

Avoid falls

Almost all hip fractures in older adults happen because of a fall. Things that increase your chance of falling include:

• Having poor balance and coordination.
• Having weakness in one or both legs.
• Using certain medicines that may cause sleepiness, weakness, or dizziness.
• Having vision problems.
• Drinking too much alcohol.
• Feeling confused or having impaired reasoning (caused by age or conditions such as dementia).

You can reduce your risk for falls by:

• Removing anything in your house that may cause you to fall. Household hazards that can cause falls include slippery floors, cords, poor lighting, cluttered walkways, furniture placement that does not allow a clear pathway for walking, and throw rugs.
• Using nonslip mats and grab bars in the bathtub and shower.
• Making sure stairways have handrails. Having rails on both sides of the stairs is best. Also be sure to turn on the lights when you use the stairs.
• Making sure you have enough light to see obstacles or pets as you move around your home.
• Exercising to help you keep your strength and balance.
• Taking medicines only as directed and periodically reviewing your medicines with your primary care doctor, especially if you have more than one doctor. Some medicines, such as sleeping pills or pain relievers, can increase your risk of falling.
• Wearing low-heeled shoes that fit well.
• Using walking aids correctly.

For more information, see the topic Preventing Falls.